Thursday, September 25, 2008

It's time for some project updates and new yarn pics, before I take off to spend Homecoming weekend with my dad and sister at Ohio University!

I just got my latest Knitpicks order in the mail today, bearing 2 skeins of their new hand-dyed sock yarn, Imagination . It's a fingering-weight blend of alpaca, merino, and nylon. I chose the color Frog Prince, but there are a few other shades available which I yearn to get. (Sorry pic isn't clearer)Project pics: Sock that I am making out of Red Heart Heart and Sole (top picture); socks for hubby out of Knitpicks Essentials (Riverbed Multi) (bottom picture).

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

I'm done with the first sock in a pair made from Noro Kureyon Sock. I loved the color sequences and the somewhat rustic feel of the yarn, but I was not happy with the final result (even after a wash). It seems too loose/baggy, even though I knit with size 1 dpns and used the same pattern I have used with other socks before. I don't think these socks will get much (if any) wear outside of the house. I have an entire other sock to make, as well as another skein of Kureyon Sock in my stash.

I also started on my first sweater last week during the power outage. It's coming along well so far. I'm using a top-down raglan sweater pattern, knit with (gulp) Lion Brand Pound of Love. I really wanted to see how the sweater would turn out before plunking a lot of money down for yarn. I bought a little over 2000 yards of blue yarn for 14.00. It was a good deal for me at the time, and still is now! I know a lot of knitters who make sweaters out of acrylic and they love their creations.

Finished the first sock (finally) in a pair for my dad. As you may recall, this sock (and its mate) were supposed to be finished in time for Father's Day this past June, but that obviously didn't happen. They will be making their debut as one of his birthday presents in November instead.

Saturday, September 20, 2008

What a week this past week was! I know that millions of people were affected by Hurricane Ike, and my family was one of them! Despite living in the Ohio Valley, we were touched by Ike last Sunday, as remnants of Ike clashed with a cold front and brought tremendous winds to our area. No rain, just lots of wind. It was really scary, as power lines were snapped and electricity went off for a week. We decided to camp out at home instead of going to relatives or a hotel. My husband figured out how to heat up the canned food we had, using 3 votive candles on our stove. Hooray for hot food! Our son thought it was a camp out. We had flashlights and candles galore. It was really nice to spend time together since usually we are in the same home, but doing totally different things.

Knitting in the semi-dark was cool too...I got a lot done! I finished the first in a pair of socks for my dads birthday in November, got a lot done on my Noro socks, and began my first sweater, top-down from Creative Knitting January 2008.

I bought some yarn this week after the power came back on in our area. Just some acrylic to make a pillow for our couch--our living room has a red/gold theme going on--and Bernat Cashmere Blend, plus some dishcloth cotton.

I have some pictures to put up, but will do that tomorrow. News: my son is officially done with his crib and just got a toddler bed!!! Potty training is also commencing slowly but surely.

Saturday, September 13, 2008

I just realized I haven't posted in a little bit! I've been up to my ears (literally) in parenting, working, cleaning up our home, and knitting. I'm working on quite a few pairs of socks--the exact amount is on my Ravelry projects page. I'm Sturgillsusan on there. I am making a pair for my husband's birthday, in Knitpicks Essential sock yarn. I think this is an excellent basic yarn--it is really squishy and the striping has been pretty and even so far. More later on how it holds up in the laundry--his birthday is on September 29th, so I'm hoping that the socks are done by then!

I'm finishing up the first batch of Warm Woolies socks-they look really nice and feel super warm! It makes me feel good to know that a child in another country will have a warm pair of socks to comfort them and keep them warm.

My Noro Kureyon socks are coming along...I had to switch from bamboo to metal dpns because the yarn sticking to the bamboo was driving me nuts! I like the striping of the yarn, and am hoping that the yarn will soften with the first wash. Once I knit up the Silk Garden Sock, it will be interesting to make comparisons about the two yarns. I have heard that the Silk Garden Sock leans more towards being a sport-weight, while the Kureyon Sock is a fingering weight for sure.

Several of my readers have emailed me and asked if I had used either Lion Brand Sock-Ease or Red Heart Heart and Sole sock yarns yet, and the answer is yes! I have knit up a little of the Red Heart sock yarn, and though I really like the fact that big box stores will carry sock yarn now, I don't think I will be going out of my way to get this yarn again. I can't really get the aloe-y goodness like in Austermann Step, or even the Lion Brand Sock-Ease. The Red Heart just feels rougher to me while I am knitting with it. It is possible that the aloe inside will be unleashed during the laundry process, but we will have to see about that. The striping of the yarn is nice, albeit uneven. It irks me that Hobby Lobby only stocks a couple of colorways at once, and one ball of each at a time! For my socks, I have 4 different colorways, so the socks will not be matchy-matching. I guess I could order it offline and get matching socks, but there are other sock yarns I want to try!

I'm really looking forward to starting my own sweater and finishing up my son's star sweater. I cast on for a baby bolero for my future niece, but haven't really got much done on it yet.

We have a busy next couple of months coming up! Both of my parents want to take their grandson apple picking this fall, so that is the plan in October. Halloween is arriving soon--Charlie will be a superhero--not sure which one. Fall for us is full of birthdays...my husband in September, and my dad and my brother in law in November. My sister, aunt, cousins, and I are all December girls, and hopefully my niece Brianna will be a December baby too!!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

This has to be the most perfect sock that I have ever made. It is completely perfectly formed, with no gusset holes! After blocking, it all fell into place. BTW, its the pic on the top. My digital camera did not accurately represent the colors--they are more vivid than the pic lets on!

Right now I am making a pair of socks out of Noro Kureyon Sock. The first one of that pair is in the photo on the bottom. I really like the feel of the Kureyon Sock; it is rustic and a change from the ordinary. I'm also watching the RNC on CNN--its been an eye-opening convention--interesting to watch, even though I am pro-Obama. It will be interesting to see how everything turns out.